Thursday, September 13, 2007

I placed a Gordian Knot in front of me, but I don't currently have a sword at the ready nor the time to properly wield it.

What am I getting on about? I started coding up a large AS3 project, and got the base application class all set, along with some helper classes.

And then I started looking at the other moving parts I would have to integrate... several other somewhat smaller applications (AS2) that would get bundled in. No problem, I can re-write them, even if it will just be AS3 on the timeline of some of them.

I opened a few of the includes and classes and I muttered...

"Well, f___ me. What I have here is a fugly Gordian Knot."

Several of the AS2 apps are pretty big & involved, and re-writing was looking to be a bit of a nightmare. Almost all of the code would need to be changed. If my base application was AS2 as well, I could just save a TON of development time. Unfortunately, I found myself needing to head down this path. I am not strong enough in AS3-world yet to be able to quickly rewrite thousands of lines of code in an effort to speed rendering times, enjoy the updated event system, etc.

I love the strict(er) compiler and that would help me a lot along the way, but it would be like rebuilding a room in my house using Popsicle sticks. Shiny, pretty and efficient Popsicle sticks :)

So its a lot quicker to make my main application classes AS2 than to rewrite a bulk of other code to fit the main application. I am disappointed. Has anyone else come to this decision themselves? Since FP9 penetration is very high, its going to be all AS3 from now on, but for this transitional stuff I think many of us are going to have to stick with the old standby AVM1.

Update:

I saw this image online and decided once this thing is buttoned up using AS2, I am just going to flip the AS3 switch on all of it so I can rest easier at night. I mean, how many of us can't sleep late at night because we are figuring out a bug in our head, or want to refactor something we did a while back, etc.

It gnaws at you like some rabid, nocturnal Smeagol. I know that it is going to be a lot of extra work (that won't be implemented beyond the established AS2 version), but at least I'll learn a lot by doing it. And sleep sounder. And get my AS3 swordarm in better shape.

"Spartans! Ready your breakfast and eat hearty... For tonight, we dine in hell!"

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